SELDI-TOF MS analysis of alkylphenol exposed Atlantic cod with phenotypic variation in gonadosomatic index

Proteomics is a new and promising approach to evaluate potential effects of pollution. In order to investigate if there is a direct link between the protein expression profiles obtained by the SELDI-TOF MS technology and effects observed at the organism level in fish, plasma samples from unexposed and 20 ppb alkylphenol exposed female Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) with high phenotypic variation in gonadosomatic index (GSI) were analyzed by SELDI-TOF MS. Principle component analysis (PCA) showed that the major proteomic variation present in the dataset (i.e. 23.6%) could be significantly correlated to the individual variation in GSI, which indicates that SELDI-TOF MS data can reflect effects observed at higher levels of organization in fish. Further exploration of the other principal components revealed an additional proteomic pattern specific for the alkylphenol exposed females. Hence, this study supports the usefulness of SELDI-TOF MS as a proteomic tool in ecotoxicological research.